Lansing, Michigan, May 4, 2011--Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Bill Bullard was the lead witness today in a hearing held by Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy), Chairman of the House Banking and Finance Committee on the recent investigation by Bullard into fraudulent signatures on foreclosure documents filed by America's largest banks and financial institutions.

Bullard's investigation uncovered signatures on foreclosure documents filed in Oakland County in 2008 and 2009 which matched a national pattern of signatures by a nonexistent bank "Vice President, Linda Green."

Bullard was joined on the bi-partisan witness panel by Curtis Hertel, Register of Deeds for Ingham County who also found similar signatures. "We are not saying citizens have no responsibility here.  If someone does not pay their mortgage they will lose their home.  But banks have to play by the rules, too."  Hertel further stated, "We are looking at a massive fraud committed against the people of the state of Michigan."

Hertel proposed several reforms, also recommended by Bullard, to prevent such false signatures from being filed in the future; the most important of which is to give homeowners a judicial hearing should such a practice be uncovered in their case. 

Rep. Knollenburg commended the witnesses.